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sigh I know I shouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole, but I really don't think overreactions like these help anyone. First of all, sexist jokes are a bad th

sigh I know I shouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole, but I really don't think overreactions like these help anyone. First of all, sexist jokes are a bad thing, but we need to keep in mind the meaning of the word "misogyny": hatred of women. While sexist jokes desensitize men to sexism in general, which can lead to misogyny, the knee-jerk reaction you're having is beginning to resemble crying wolf. As for the name Linda, it is a clever reference to a person who shares the same surname as the person for which another programming language is named. No doubt the choice of the person was motivated by that person's fame and no doubt that choice was immature, unprofessional and sexist. Likewise, calling it a "best name ever for a computer language" is probably equally immature and unprofessional. But the fact is that the reference really is clever and a subtle joke. I agree with you that it's not appropriate, but it's not really the reason to cry "misogyny". Criticizing the OP for being childish, unprofessional and sexist would have been enough without trying to demonize him.

rayiner 13y ago
To play devil's advocate, I can't think of anything more befitting the term "misogyny" than what happened to Linda Lovelace, and to the extent that someone calls a reference to her porn career, knowing the circumstances behind it, "cool" I think that's at least an endorsement of misogyny. That said, I think the author was probably unaware of those circumstances.
max_wall_2000 13y ago
> First of all, sexist jokes are a bad thing, but we need to keep in mind the meaning of the word "misogyny": hatred of women. You are correct in that the definition of misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Misogyny can be manifested in the denigration or sexual objectification of women and in entrenched prejudice against women. From Wikipedia (first item in the definition) "Misogyny .... is a central part of sexist prejudice and ideology and, as such, is an important basis for the oppression of females in male-dominated societies. Misogyny is manifested in many different ways, from jokes to pornography..." (Allan G. Johnson). The attitude expressed in the linked article is that pornography is an appropriate (and amusing) subject to link to something to be used in academic and professional contexts. Further, that it's amusing that pornography is linked to a prominent woman simply by virtue of her surname. In doing so, those who named the programming language and those who find it amusing are denigrating both Linda Boreman and Ada Lovelace and expressing and normalising the attitude that this is amusing and appropriate. I find this a clear case of misogyny. > I really don't think overreactions like these help anyone. I don't think it's an overreaction, and I would think that the appropriate reaction is to condemn these instances of misogyny. In doing so, hopefully we can create an environment and industry less hostile to women and girls. I'd say that would help quite a few people.

rayiner 13y ago

To play devil's advocate, I can't think of anything more befitting the term "misogyny" than what happened to Linda Lovelace, and to the extent that someone calls a reference to her porn career, knowing the circumstances behind it, "cool" I think that's at least an endorsement of misogyny. That said, I think the author was probably unaware of those circumstances.

max_wall_2000 13y ago

> First of all, sexist jokes are a bad thing, but we need to keep in mind the meaning of the word "misogyny": hatred of women. You are correct in that the definition of misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Misogyny can be manifested in the denigration or sexual objectification of women and in entrenched prejudice against women. From Wikipedia (first item in the definition) "Misogyny .... is a central part of sexist prejudice and ideology and, as such, is an important basis for the oppression of females in male-dominated societies. Misogyny is manifested in many different ways, from jokes to pornography..." (Allan G. Johnson). The attitude expressed in the linked article is that pornography is an appropriate (and amusing) subject to link to something to be used in academic and professional contexts. Further, that it's amusing that pornography is linked to a prominent woman simply by virtue of her surname. In doing so, those who named the programming language and those who find it amusing are denigrating both Linda Boreman and Ada Lovelace and expressing and normalising the attitude that this is amusing and appropriate. I find this a clear case of misogyny. > I really don't think overreactions like these help anyone. I don't think it's an overreaction, and I would think that the appropriate reaction is to condemn these instances of misogyny. In doing so, hopefully we can create an environment and industry less hostile to women and girls. I'd say that would help quite a few people.